Akenten Appiah-Menka

Akenten Appiah-Menka was a Ghanaian lawyer, politician and businessman. He was the deputy minister for trade and industry and later deputy attorney general in the second republic.

Early life and education Appiah-Menka was born on 3 July 1933 at Aboabogya, a town in the Kwabre district near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to Eno Akosua (his mother) and Opanin Amponsah Adiyia (his father) who died when he was a few months old in his mother's womb. He had his middle school education at Aboabogya Methodist School. He proceeded to Abuakwa State College, Kibi for his cambridge certificate and Adisadel College for his advanced level certificate. He stowed away from the Takoradi Port through a French cargo and landed in Marseille. He was sent to England on train in 1954. There, he enrolled at the Northwestern Polytechnic, London (now University of North London) that same year and obtained his GCE advanced level certificate in 1955. He continued at the University of Manchester in 1956 to study law and graduated in 1959. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn.

Career He returned to Ghana in 1960 and entered private legal practice as a barrister and a solicitor working as an associate of the Yaanom Chambers which was then headed by Nicholas Yaw Boafo Adade. He worked as a legal practitioner until 1969 when he entered politics.

Politics In 1969 he was elected; member of parliament representing the Afigya-Kwabre constituency. He contested with Agyemang Alexander Frederick of the National Alliance of Liberals, Baffour Ankoma of the United Nationalist Party and Otuo Siriboe of the People's Action Party. That same year he was appointed deputy Minister for Trade. In 1971 after the reshuffle he was made deputy Attorney General. He served in this position until 1972 when the Busia government was overthrown. He was detained by the Supreme Military Council (then National Redemption Council) after the overthrow and was released in 1973. During the Akufo-Addo administration he was appointed chairman of the party/government committee; a committee whose core mandate was to ensure that there was a coordinated and cordial working relation between the incumbent party (New Patriotic Party) and the government.

Business He acquired a 600-acre land in Akrofum near Obuasi and started a palm oil plantation which became the Ashanti Oil Mills. The company produced edible oil. The business grew to become the Appiah Menka Complex Ltd that manufactured Appino soap; a popular detergent soap of the 1980s and crocodile pale. The soap production begun in Kumasi through a joint venture with the National Investment Bank. He was Managing Director and later Chairman of the Appiah Menka Complex Ltd, the Ashanti Oil Mills, and the Appiah Menka plantations.

Due to his industrial exploits he was once made President of the Association of Ghana Industries.

Personal life He married Mrs. Rosemond Appiah-Menka (née Gyamfi) in 1960. His hobbies included golf, football and cartoon reading. His burial ceremony was held on 24 May 2018 in Kumasi. He was buried in his hometown Aboabogya.